After his contract expired last year, former WWE star Baron Corbin recently debuted on the independent wrestling scene under his real name, Tom Pestock. However, if a trademark filing earlier this week is to be believed, he will soon be performing under a different name: Bishop Dyer.
Although his exact plans are unclear, it is evident that Pestock intends to remain involved in professional wrestling, and it is possible that NJPW may be interested in the former WWE star. This feeling can be mutual, as Pestock said during a recent appearance on “Preview with Chris Van Vliet” that he hopes to wrestle in Japan, either for a year or perhaps for the rest of his in-ring career.
Pestock competed in his first match outside of WWE at The People vs. GCW on January 19. Pestock lost to Josh Barnett in a Bloodsport style match, which features a ring without ropes and is inspired by mixed martial arts. This show took place at the Hammerstein Ballroom in New York, New York.
Until his GCW match, Pestock had spent his entire wrestling career in WWE, signing there in 2012 after a brief career in the NFL. As Baron Corbin, Pestock gradually moved up the talent ladder and had a successful run on the WWE main roster from 2016 to 2024 (including a return to WWE NXT in 2023). Some of Corbin’s highlights in WWE include retiring Kurt Angle at WWE WrestleMania 35, winning the WWE King of the Ring tournament, and his run as “Happy Corbin”, a version of the character that did not have lucky.
